DMZ & JSA, Korea (April 2017)

18 April 2017 (Tuesday)

It was a really strange day. But it was the day I have long awaited for. With all the recent news about North Korea at that time as well, my family kept warning me not to go to the border. So I went without telling them about it.

How can I not go after reading so many articles about this place and so many books on North Korea and the defectors? I feel so much for this place. It's just a really strange feeling that a place like that exists in this day. I can't stop being curious how being there feels like. The closest I can get to the North.

So, April 15 marks the birthday of the first founder of North Korea, Kim Il Sung. It was the 105th anniversary of his birth. They have been testing some bombs lately during that period so the situation between both countries got really tense. I also went to Korea during the period that they were having the election for the new president of South Korea.

Apparently, the Vice-President of USA visited the Camp Bonifas/JSA (Joint Security Area) one day before on the 17 April. I didn't know this before the U.S Army guide told us about it. You can find this in the news. So, thankfully I didn't book the tour on Monday!

I was so afraid the tour will get cancelled 'cause apparently they can just cancel it on a last minute notice depending on the situation. You won't get a refund. I booked this for $165 for the full tour including the JSA (they limit the amount of people that can enter that area a day so you have to book in advance) from Changi Recommends. I think I basically dig out all information I can get about the DMZ. Thank God they whatsapped me when I was in Everland the previous day to confirm my attendance hahaha.

DMZ (Korea Demilitarized Zone) Day Tour

I didn't know the DMZ Day Tour was separated from the JSA one. So I arranged the pick-up to pick me up at Seoul Station Exit 1 at about 7.30am or something. I cannot remember exactly. But it was a mini bus with just a few people. I was the only Singaporean. Actually I don't think I sighted any Singaporean that day?

The sky's so gloomy that day and it looked like there was a storm about to come.

My female guide was really friendly and young. I sat just behind her so we talked a bit and she also walked half the tunnel with me 'cause she left halfway. Hahaha. Koreans are really so proud of their country and when they talk about the history of why this place exists and all, they get a little worked up. It makes me feel that they really find meaning in their job and just not doing these for the sake of doing it.

Before entering the area, you have to go through so many checks. Apparently they want to check if the same amount of people that enter are the same when they exit. There are even more checks for the JSA.

Imjingak Park

So the first stop was at Imjingak Park where the Freedom Bridge is located at. There's an observatory there. It was really cold up there.

 There's like an abandoned amusement park in the middle of no where!?

I secretly took this picture. HAHA. One of the stop for the soldier to come up to check. Don't worry, the whole way you'll only encounter South Korean soldiers unless you enter the Joint Security area.

3rd Infiltration Tunnel

You'll know about the tunnel if you read up enough about North Korea. Upon arriving we have to go into a theatre to watch a video about how this tunnel came along. So we had to go to the museum before entering the tunnel and going through another round of security check. Hahaha. There's lockers with keys so you got to put every valuable you have inside the locker and take the key along with you. No gadgets are allowed cause you have to go through the security scan.

Initially, you will think it's so easy going down until you are quite deep inside, there's like water dripping over you and you have to literally bend down. It's squeezy cause there's one row for people who are walking back after they reach the end and another row for people who are going to enter. There was barely enough space.

The climb up was crazy oh my god. It was never-ending. It's so easy coming down but the climb up the slope was madness. HAHA. Just imagine how deep South Korea have to dig before finding this tunnel!

 So I went to buy some souvenirs for myself. I met the guide again and she took a picture for me.

Then I went walking around and some caucasian saw me roaming alone outside so he offered to take some picture for me again. HAHA.

Dora Observatory

So we stop at the Dora Observatory, the only place where you can overlook North Korea and the fake village they built. It was so foggy 'cause of the bad weather but I can still see it through the telescope that cost 500 won.

Right after I see through the telescope, there was a sudden lightning flash through the sky. It was kind of dramatic 'cause this was the exact view where I see the lightning flashed.

It started raining cats and dogs afterwards for awhile. Thank God I brought an umbrella along with me.

Dorasan Station

This is the station that brings you straight to Pyeongyang. You will also know the history about it if you read up enough. HAHAHA. Okay anyway the rain got even heavier here when I arrived here.
 

Lunch / End of Day Tour

So we got back to the bus and I didn't realise that this was the last stop before I have to change the guide and bus? So the guide dropped me off at the Imjingak Park area at a restaurant where we were going to have lunch. I was the only one from the day tour going to the JSA. So apparently if you book the day tour, the above is what you will get to see.

Had bulgogi for lunch and it was good! Then another man came to those people in the restaurant and asked for our passports so as to find our names on the list. So apparently for this side of the tour, you have to have your names on the list else you cannot enter.

There was this lady who judging from her english accent is probably from Hong Kong. She was kicking a fuss at the restaurant 'cause her name couldn't be found on the list! Not sure if there was some error or she booked the wrong one. So the guide told her that she cannot enter no matter what since they have to submit this list 2-3 days before entering the area. There's no way they can do anything about it now.

How on Earth does she expect for them to do anything when it's one of the freaking most dangerous place on Earth??? So the guide told her they will have another bus to send her back to Seoul. But she just refused to budge. She had to in the end even after making a huge fuss hahah.

Anyway the rain kind of stopped for awhile while I was here.

Joint Security Area

So I boarded the bus and there were seat numbers allocated. I was at the front row sitting with a Japanese old man... There's like a group of Japanese of about 6 people. Japanese speaking people have to wear pink tags whereas English speaking people gets the blue tags. The tag is to show that you are protected by the U.S. army? Yup, the rest of the 20+ people in the bus were caucasians.

There was 2 Korean guides in the bus (one in charge of the Japanese and another in charge of the caucasians - english speaking). I kept getting ignored by the English guide!!! She kept missing out giving me the paper and what not. The whole bus probably thought I was Japanese........

But thankfully the Japanese guide obviously knew I wasn't with the Japanese group so she helped me get the paper and tell me some information the guide didn't tell me about zzz. The U.S. army guy probably thought I was Japanese too...

Anyway the elderly old man sitting next to me was really friendly and kind.

Screenshot of Google Map where I was. HAHA

It was raining when we reached Camp Bonifas where you have to have the briefing and sign on the form that nobody's going to be accountable for your safety whether you die or not. We cannot take much pictures here but I took some on the way after entering the JSA. Hahaha.

It was raining until we arrived at the JSA! It stopped raining for that particular moment before it started drizzling again. We had to stand in 2 rows to enter the place. There were 2 bus that can enter that day, another bus is like all PRCs. So yeah I was officially the only Singaporean and also probably the youngest for that day?? There were only like 2-3 other caucasian man that came alone but I see that they have made friends with each other. hahahah.

Upon leaving, the U.S army guide said that there were some VIPS that were coming or something, I don't know but there were suddenly soldiers and all. Here's a secret shot HAHA.

Camp Bonifas

Ended our day here but I didn't bring my valuables along so I couldn't buy anything. Oh you have to enter this other bus from this place onwards or something and get driven by a South Korean soldier so as to make sure that you don't bring anything along except for your camera. The soldier's really handsome oh my gawd hahahaha. The guides kept flirting with him. Anyway their soldiers are all those that are serving the nation so they are really young. Probably my age or something.

It's a live telecast of the JSA.

Yup. So it was about a 1 hour plus drive back to Seoul and I arrived at about 5pm+

Film Camera Photos

Here's some photos I have taken from my film camera and have developed them. I have lots of other pictures from my film camera for other trips and etc but I don't think I'll post them. You can just view them on my Instagram @alessandravanessaa hahahaha. Making an exception for this post.

I learnt so much and seen so much throughout the 9 hours of the tour. I really want to enter North Korea some day (but with the situation now, I'm not sure what the country would come to be 10 years from now). Hopefully the countries reunite. But only a war will bring it back to reunification or something drastic I guess. I honestly don't know.

Being a Singaporean really feels different after this. Even though we are so small and vulnerable but we are really really safe. It's so tense in South Korea, and you'll never know when you will get attack. It's even worse for the people living in the North. Perhaps they are used to life that way but curiosity kills people and I believe many people suffer from just being curious. You can only love life if you are not curious and is satisfied just having what you get from the governments. But who wouldn't get curious if they know there's a world out there that they don't know of?

When you can have Trump for a president in the U.S, I really don't know what this world will come to be in 10 years. Are we even safe here? Hahahhaa.